Power up your squats and deadlifts

Zercher lifts are defined by the grip used to perform them: you hook your arms under a barbell so it sits in the crook of your elbows and clasp your hands together in front of your chin. “Heavily used by competitive strongmen to build up back, ab and posterior chain strength, the exercise mimics sporting movements such as tackling in rugby, takedowns in martial arts – and the Atlas Stones event in World’s Strongest Man,” says PT Phil Learney.

The Zercher squat

Best for: Quadriceps, lumbar stabilisers and abs

How to do it: Set a bar in a rack at about chest height. Hook your arms under it and lock both hands together in front of your chin. Unrack the bar, keeping your eyes and head up, and walk out. “The load is in front of the body, so the weight will want to pull you into forward flexion,” explains Learney. “This is why your abs and back are going to work HARD.” With a slightly wider than usual squat stance and elbows pushed up and forward, squat down as deep as you can. Keep your head up and torso upright as you rise.

The Zercher deadlift

How to do it: Place a barbell on the floor. Again, hook your arms under it so the weight rests in the crook of the elbow and clasp your hands together in front of your chin. Lift in the same fashion as a regular deadlift. “You lose the length of your arms so the flexion over the bar is far more extreme,” explains Learney. Dip your hips and knees as far as your flexibility will permit and set the bar as tight to the body as possible. Drive your hips forward and shoulders back to get your spine into an upright position as quickly as possible. This move requires a lot of flexibility, so set the bar on a rack off the floor at an appropriate level if you’re struggling with the first phase of the lift.

When?

These moves should form one of the major compound exercise of a strength and power-focused session. Learney recommends following conventional squats with Zercher deadlifts or performing Zercher squats after conventional deadlifts. High rep/low weight variations could be used as part of a lower back/ab conditioning circuit, too.

Sets and reps

Beginners should start with more reps at a lighter weight and a higher volume of total reps. Ensure you’ve got your technique right before increasing the weight. “These are high risk movements for injury,” says Learney. As you advance lower your reps and aim to increase both how fast and how much you lift.

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